Low key travel softball in Nova?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love when someone digs up a four year old thread to bash a team or coach.

Right? What the heck. Start a new thread if you really need to convey this issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the Stingrays or Firebirds. Stringrays is fine for those who are okay with your coaches not training the players and constantly playing mind-games with families. Stingrays coaches scream at their players (not just yell), but if you are okay with this, sign up everyone gets an offer at tryouts (regardless--so what does that say--hmmm?) With regard to the NVGSA Firebirds it is important to note- many teams have recently left NVGSA altogether. NVGSA is cultish and will harass families if they leave the organization. Rumor is they allow anyone to coach and I mean anyone. If you are looking for low-key travel softball in NOVA check out the Vienna travel teams, McLean travel teams, or SYC Lady Legends. Apparently there are a few others connected with Little League softball programs- SYA and CYA too. If you are considering a more advanced route look into Victory, Rock Gold, and Glory

Interesting, I'd like to know more.

I'm not PP but I have experience with NVGSA and this paragraph has a mixture of a tiny bit of truth and complete lies, plus things I cannot say yes or no for sure either way.

Firebirds is in the process of a leadership change, as is NVGSA rec, that I expect those to be incredibly positive for the organization moving forward. This year's Firebirds coaches are a great group. I will keep my mouth firmly shut on prior years.

[Anonymous]

I am a NP with years of experience with kids playing NVGSA. The rec coaches have been universally fantastic. I have no idea why a PP called the organization a cult - very weird to me.

[Anonymous]

My kids never tried out for the Stingrays, but we know kids who did and got cut, so that part was made up too. Maybe the PP wants to come back and clarify her real beef with these organizations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a NP with years of experience with kids playing NVGSA. The rec coaches have been universally fantastic. I have no idea why a PP called the organization a cult - very weird to me.

Other PP with NVGSA experience and definitely agree with the bolded.

Also girls leave NVGSA, come back or don't, or come to NVGSA from other rec and travel softball orgs all the time. Other than missing former friends if they leave, no one cares. No one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids never tried out for the Stingrays, but we know kids who did and got cut, so that part was made up too. Maybe the PP wants to come back and clarify her real beef with these organizations?

Not that PP, but at least some coaches on Stingrays do seem to carry very large rosters. But so many people love Stingrays that I cannot imagine it's this terrible organization.

[Anonymous]

What happened to the...not the OP, the RP? Resurrecting Poster? Where'd you go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the Stingrays or Firebirds. Stringrays is fine for those who are okay with your coaches not training the players and constantly playing mind-games with families. Stingrays coaches scream at their players (not just yell), but if you are okay with this, sign up everyone gets an offer at tryouts (regardless--so what does that say--hmmm?) With regard to the NVGSA Firebirds it is important to note- many teams have recently left NVGSA altogether. NVGSA is cultish and will harass families if they leave the organization. Rumor is they allow anyone to coach and I mean anyone. If you are looking for low-key travel softball in NOVA check out the Vienna travel teams, McLean travel teams, or SYC Lady Legends. Apparently there are a few others connected with Little League softball programs- SYA and CYA too. If you are considering a more advanced route look into Victory, Rock Gold, and Glory

This is curious. We have been with the Stingrays for 5 years now and I have never seen any of this.

[Anonymous]

PP here. I haven’t seen any very large rosters on Stingrays. I know for a fact that players have not been offered a spot on the team, and some have not been invited to return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I haven’t seen any very large rosters on Stingrays. I know for a fact that players have not been offered a spot on the team, and some have not been invited to return.

10U does it some years - in my experience having more than 12 kids at that age is considered large and they often do. Not sure about any other age groups. And of course there are plenty of other organizations that carry more than 12 players at 10U regularly. McLean Magic carries huge rosters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love when someone digs up a four year old thread to bash a team or coach.

Especially since whoever is coaching now very likely wasn't four years ago. Coaches come and go -- it's the nature of Daddy Ball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I haven’t seen any very large rosters on Stingrays. I know for a fact that players have not been offered a spot on the team, and some have not been invited to return.

10U does it some years - in my experience having more than 12 kids at that age is considered large and they often do. Not sure about any other age groups. And of course there are plenty of other organizations that carry more than 12 players at 10U regularly. McLean Magic carries huge rosters.

As the spouse of a coach on one of the teams on this thread, I can tell you that on any given weekend you can have one girl out sick, one with a family commitment and one with some other conflict. That puts you in a tournament with 9 girls to play. You need backups at pitcher and catcher at a minimum. Girls get injured, dehydrated, whatever. And not so many families in this space commit to being there in the way that they should. Our team carries 15 girls and we still had to play a tournament game in the fall with 8 on the field bc of homecoming, a holiday and family wedding and 1 illness. FWIW, we won!

[Anonymous]

I get the wedding and the illness, those can't be helped, but what team let's its players off for dances or trips?

[Anonymous]

15 girls is LOT. That means six girls sitting every inning you have a full team. Yes occasionally a player gets injured, or sick, or has a family wedding. And yes it occasionally happens on the same day. And we still have 9. And if need be we use a guest player. Far better than having girls sit 1/3 of the game.
Also, by 12 girls playing travel are probably taking it pretty seriously. No one misses a game so mom and dad can take a random weekend off to travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I haven’t seen any very large rosters on Stingrays. I know for a fact that players have not been offered a spot on the team, and some have not been invited to return.

10U does it some years - in my experience having more than 12 kids at that age is considered large and they often do. Not sure about any other age groups. And of course there are plenty of other organizations that carry more than 12 players at 10U regularly. McLean Magic carries huge rosters.

As the spouse of a coach on one of the teams on this thread, I can tell you that on any given weekend you can have one girl out sick, one with a family commitment and one with some other conflict. That puts you in a tournament with 9 girls to play. You need backups at pitcher and catcher at a minimum. Girls get injured, dehydrated, whatever. And not so many families in this space commit to being there in the way that they should. Our team carries 15 girls and we still had to play a tournament game in the fall with 8 on the field bc of homecoming, a holiday and family wedding and 1 illness. FWIW, we won!

And it sounds like your team is happy with that setup, which allows for lots of other committments while still getting to play travel. Great. There's no way I'd pay $1500+ to have my kid be one of up to six on the bench, or the backup catcher, or whatever. Also it seems like 15 is a lot to have in a single practice, unless you have a ton of helpful assistant coaches to do micro-stations (and yes, that's even with the true fact that kids have to put in work outside of team practice). But I'm sincere when I say glad it works for you.